Falcon's Dawn
by Ashes of the Rose Gorge
Summary: As a young kit, Falcon and Amber had been abandoned by their birth parents, but when the leader of Shadowclan brings them into the clan, would they be able to make Shadowclan their home? Would Shadowclan be able to accept two outsider kits or would they be forced to suffer under Shadowclan's protection?
1. Alliance Prologue

**Alliances**

 _ **Shadowclan**_

 **Leader:** Lionstar- large dark golden-brown tabby tom with dark blue eyes (Apprentice Stonepaw)

 **Deputy:** Cloudbreeze- dark golden-brown tabby she-cat with white patches

 **Medicine Cat:** Dewpool- dark blue-gray she-cat with blue eyes

 **Warriors:**

Ferntalon- dark gray tabby she-cat with green eyes (Apprentice Rainpaw)

Ashclaw- dark brown tabby tom with gray patches (Apprentice Stormpaw)

Spidershallow- Black tom with silver stripes (Apprentice Skypaw)

Smokebreeze- gray tom with white patches

 **Apprentices:**

Stormpaw- gray tabby she-cat with gray eyes

Rainpaw- blue-gray she-cat with light blue eyes

Skypaw- white she-cat with light blue eyes

Stonepaw- gray tabby tom with green eyes

 **Queens:**

Lightshine- pale golden she-cat with blue eyes (Mother to Ashclaw's kits: Heatherkit- pale brown tabby she-cat with green eyes, Pinekit- sandy brown tabby tom with green eyes, Shadekit- pale gray tom with darker patches)

Dawnbreeze- pale blue-gray she-cat with darker freckles (expecting Spidershallow's kits)

Willowtail- light golden-brown tabby she-cat with green eyes (Mother to Lionstar's Kits: Hollykit- dark brown tabby she-cat with green eyes, Cinderkit- pale gray tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes; Fostering: Falconkit- black she-cat with orange chest fur, Amberkit- black she-cat with orange tabby patches)

 **Elders:**

Russetclaw- elderly brown tabby tom with lighter freckles

Bramblestripe- deaf brown tabby she-cat with white paws

Flamepool- elderly bright ginger tabby she-cat with blue eyes

 _ **Riverclan**_

 **Leader:** Pebblestar- gray she-cat with lighter and darker patches (Apprentice: Bluepaw)

 **Deputy:** Puddlepool- blue-gray tom with white patches

 **Medicine Cat:** Whitestep- white and black she-cat with amber eyes

 **Warriors:**

Blackstep- white and black she-cat with yellow eyes Apprentice: Creekpaw)

Redfur- red-brown tabby tom with amber eyes (Apprentice: Ivypaw)

Foxpelt- red-brown she-cat with white paws

Silverpool- silver she-cat with yellow eyes (Apprentice: Lightpaw)

Troutstream- blue-gray tom with white patches (apprentice Darkpaw)

Reedstream- brown tabby tom with green eyes

 **Apprentices:**

Bluepaw- white she-cat with blue-gray patches

Ivypaw- silver tabby she-cat with white patches

Darkpaw- dark gray tom with dark blue eyes

Lightpaw- light gray tom with dark blue eyes

Creekpaw- brown tom with blue eyes

 **Queens:**

Tumblestream- light brown she-cat with pale yellow eyes

 **Elders:**

Dewnose- elderly blue-gray she-cat with gray patches

Graystream- blind light gray tabby tom with amber eyes

 _ **Thunderclan**_

 **Leader:** Twigstar- brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

 **Deputy:** Darkleap- black tabby tom with midnight blue eyes (Apprentice: Bramblepaw)

 **Medicine Cats:** Sunleaf- sand-colored she-cat with green eyes (Apprentice: Dewpaw- gray she-cat with blue eyes)

 **Warriors:**

Featherflight- light gray she-cat with yellow eyes (Apprentice: Yellowpaw)

Birdstorm- blue-gray she-cat with darker stripes

Vipertalon- dark brown tom with pale brown patches (Apprentice: Whitepaw)

Addertail- brown she-cat with a black tail (Apprentice: Gingerpaw)

Firestorm- flame-colored tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Flamestorm- flame-colored tabby she-cat with green eyes

Thistlebreeze- white and gray tom with dark blue eyes

 **Apprentices:**

Bramblepaw- brown tom with yellow eyes

Yellowpaw- pale ginger she-cat with yellow eyes

Gingerpaw- Dark ginger tabby tom with white paws

Whitepaw- White she-cat with a green and blue eyes

 **Queens:**

Hollowclaw- light gray she-cat with white patches (Mother of Vipertalon's kits: Violetkit- white she-cat with brown patches, Lilykit- pale brown she-cat with white patches, Thornkit- brown tom with darker freckles, Talonkit- brown tabby tom with pale paws)

 **Elders:**

Thornpelt- blind brown tom with white paws

Brambletalon- Elderly pale brown tabby tom with blue eyes

 _ **Windclan**_

 **Leader:** Wolfstar- Silver gray tom with white paws

 **Deputy:** Copperfur- dark golden-brown she-cat with darker patches

 **Medicine Cats:** Willowleaf- golden-brown she-cat with green eyes (Apprentice: Tallpaw- gray tom with a white underbelly)

 **Warriors:**

Ratwhisker- brown tom with white patches

Mousefang- brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Rabbitflight- white and brown tom with yellow eyes

Hareleap- white she-cat with brown tabby patches

 **Apprentices:**

Moonpaw- silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Russetpaw- brown tabby tom with white paws

 **Queens:**

Dawnbounce- golden-brown she-cat with darker stripes

Leafstream- Brown tabby she-cat with white paws (Expecting Wolfstar's kits)

Hazeltail- pale brown she-cat with black stripes (Expecting Rabbitflight's kits)

 **Elders:**

Sharpbreeze- elderly Dark gray tom with green eyes

 _ **Cats outside the Clans**_

Raven- black she-cat with pale blue eyes

Tiger- Brown tabby tom with green eyes

Shadow- Black tabby tom with green eyes

Ginger- ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes

 **Prologue**

A light breeze blew across the pine forest. The sounds of fighting could be heard as a Ginger tabby she-cat attacked the large dark golden-brown tabby tom in front of her. A black tabby tom was protecting the entrance to a hollow tree. Mews could be heard from inside the hollowed tree, but the cats who were fighting the two loners seemed to not care. The black tabby swiped at a young gray tabby tom who tried to get close to the hallowed tree.

"Stonepaw, go get the others! I can handle these two loners!" the dark golden-brown tabby yowled.

The young tom looked at the older one before scampering off to get his fellow clanmates. The black tabby's eyes widened and he looked towards the ginger tabby she-cat worriedly. The she-cat was badly injured already, but was determined to continue fighting the large tabby in front of her. Her amber eyes showed her determination; the determination of a mother protecting her young shining in her eyes. The large tom swiped his claws at the she-cat, catching her left eye. She yowled in pain and fell to the ground. She struggled to stand as the black tabby tom rushed to her side.

"Ginger! Are you okay?" The tom asked as he stood beside the she-cat, his fur bristled.

"I'll be fine." She meowed as she struggled to her paws.

"We can't stay here. We need to leave. That tom that was with this one ran to get help. We can't defend ourselves against a whole group of them!" the tom hissed as he looked back at the hollowed tree.

"What about our kits? Falcon and Amber are too young to survive on their own, Shadow! These cats will kill them!" Ginger hissed back.

"Would you rather die protecting them or would you like to live and be able to have more kits later on?" Shadow yowled.

Ginger's fur bristled as she bared her teeth in frustration. She looked back at the hallow with a saddened expression. She turned and ran off, Shadow following close behind her. The large dark golden-brown tabby tom flicked his ear as he watched the two loners run away. He padded towards the hollowed tree, ignoring his own injuries.

His dark blue eyes widened as he saw two balls of fur laying in a pile of fallen leaves and moss. One of the two balls of fur was completely black besides a patch of ginger fur that covered her chest. The other was black with ginger tabby patches. He could see why these two were named Falcon and Amber. The completely black one with the ginger patch of chest fur looked similar to a Falcon while the other looked as if she had amber drops across her black fur.

"Lionstar? Stonepaw said there was trouble over here, but it seems you were able to solve it on your own." A dark brown tabby tom with gray patches spoke from behind the dark golden-brown tabby tom.

"Oh, Ashclaw. They ran off, but left behind two young kits. They look like they are two moons old, which means they can't care for themselves or defend themselves." Lionstar meowed.

"Huh? What are you saying, Lionstar? Are you saying we need to take in these two when we suffered from greencough not too long ago?" Ashclaw meowed, his fur bristling.

"Yes. We're taking them into the clan. Your mate just had her kits only a few moons ago. I'm sure she wouldn't mind taking in two more and raising them as her own." Lionstar meowed as he turned to look at the senior warrior.

"What about your mate, Lionstar? Isn't she close to having her kits? Couldn't she take care of those kits?" Ashclaw grumbled disgruntledly.

"Willowtail won't have her kits for a few more moons. These kits need food soon or they'll die." Lionstar growled.

"I won't accept them as my kits and I won't treat them as members of Shadowclan! They're kits of loners that don't belong among our clan! Let the foxes, badgers, and owls have their way with them!" Ashclaw hissed as he turned around and padded away.

Lionstar's tail lashed in frustration before he turned towards the kits. He climbed into the hollow tree and curled up around the kits with a look of concern and protectiveness. _If these were my kits and I was fighting off other warriors, I would never have left them behind. Their father and mother are mouse-brains for not staying to protect their kits. I'll make sure they are well cared for and protected._ Lionstar thought as he began to groom the two kits' fur.

"Lionstar! Willowtail is giving birth! Cloudbreeze sent me to find you and your hunting patrol!" A young blue-gray she-cat with light blue eyes spoke as she neared Stonepaw and Lionstar.

"Willowtail's giving birth this early?" Lionstar yowled in shock before he looked down at the two kits. "Stonepaw, Rainpaw, carry these kits back to camp. They're going to join our clan and never know of their birth origins."

"Huh?" Rainpaw, the young she-cat, meowed in shock as she stared down at the young kits.

Stonepaw padded over to the kits as Lionstar took off for the Shadowclan camp. Rainpaw picked up the black she-cat with orange tabby patches, carrying her gently by the scruff towards the camp. Stonepaw flicked his ear as he stared down at the young kit. He lifted her up gently, a look of care shining in his green eyes. _May Starclan watch over you and your sister_. Stonepaw thought as he followed his mentor and denmate.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Falconkit, open your eyes already! Cinderkit, Hollykit, and I already opened our eyes. We just need you to open your eyes so we can go outside and play moss ball with Heatherkit, Pinekit, and Shadekit." A cat meowed in Falconkit's ears.

Falconkit flicked her ear with an irritated growl rumbling in her throat. She knew Amberkit, Cinderkit, and Hollykit all wanted to play with Heatherkit, Pinekit, and Shadekit, but she wanted nothing more than to stay far from them. She had learned over the last moon that they didn't like her or Amberkit. Their father, Ashclaw, would sit there telling them nonsense, saying Falconkit and her sister weren't proper member of the clan, which annoyed Falconkit. Falconkit and Amberkit were Willowtail's kits weren't they? Lionstar treated them as his own kits, never paying more attention to Cinderkit and Hollykit than them. Willowtail treated them as her own, but she payed more attention to Cinderkit and Hollykit than Amberkit and Falconkit.

Falconkit sighed as she opened her eyes, annoyed that she was being begged to open her eyes once again. She still remembered the sight of the nursery from last night and how dark it had been. She looked over at Amberkit, her sister's black pelt not as hard to see anymore. Cinderkit's pelt wasn't as bright as last night and Hollykit was a bit easier to see. Amberkit's eyes were amber, Cinder's eyes were dark blue, and Hollykit's eyes were green, just like Falconkit's eyes.

"Be careful while you play with Heatherkit, Pinekit, and Shadekit. They're two moons older than you four and I don't need to bring you four to Dewpool for being trampled over." Willowtail warned the four kits.

Cinderkit flicked her tail dismissively before looking towards the third queen in the nursery, Dawnbreeze. Dawnbreeze had been in the nursery for not too long, but long enough that her kits were due any time now. Dewpool had been fuzzing over the newer queen with a worried expression and so was Dawnbreeze's mate, Spidershallow. Spidershallow would come into the nursery after he was done with a patrol to spend some time with his mate. Dawnbreeze seemed to be annoyed by all the fuzzing over her soon-to-be born kits.

"Come on, Falconkit!" Hollykit yowled from outside the nursery.

Falconkit turned around and pelted out of the nursery, but skidded to a halt as the blinding light touched her eyes. She closed her eyes and pressed her nose against her foreleg with her ears pulled back. She squinted her eyes as she opened them slowly, the light no longer bothering her. Her eyes widened as she saw the camp for the first time. The camp was surrounded by tall pine trees and pine needles littered the ground. Warriors and Apprentices were surrounding the Leader's den with curious looks in their eyes.

Falconkit's eyes widened in fear and she rushed for the Leader's den. She scampered around her clanmates paws, their glares burning into her pelt. She ignored the glares of her clanmates as she pushed her way into the den. Laying in a pile of moss and pine needles was Lionstar with Cloudbreeze sitting near him with worried yellow eyes. Dewpool was leaning over Lionstar with her ear on his chest, her fur bristling quickly.

"Lionstar?" Falconkit meowed worriedly.

Cloudbreeze turned to look at Falconkit and her eyes widened. A look of anger crossed her yellow gaze and she stood up. She padded over towards Falconkit, but Falconkit rushed over to Lionstar. She pressed her nose into her leader's fur fearfully. Something wasn't right. She could smell the reek of sickness coming off of Lionstar in large waves. He even had a few berries beside his muzzle that smelled of death.

"Where's Willowtail? She needs to take this outsider out of the leader's den now." She growled at the warriors.

Cinderkit, Hollykit, and Amberkit burst into the Leader's den and crowded around Lionstar fearfully. They all pressed their noses against Lionstar's pelt, Cinderkit's paw squishing the berries. Within a few seconds, Ashclaw, Willowtail, and Spidershallow pulled the kits out. Willowkit had Cinderkit and Hollykit in her muzzle while Ashclaw was holding onto Falconkit's scruff a bit too roughly. Amberkit was carried out by Spidershallow a bit too roughly as well. They were placed down by the nursery before Willowtail ushered them inside. Once inside, Cinderkit, with an annoyed look, began to clean her paw that touched the berries. Falconkit sat by the nursery entrance and watched Lionstar's den. Hollykit and Amberkit tussled with each other in front of Dawnbreeze.

Ashclaw paced around the entrance to the leader's den with his tail lashing. Falconkit's eyes narrowed as Cloudbreeze walked out, her ears flat against her head and her tail low. She spoke a few words and Ashclaw stood there looking at her with a look of shock. They glanced towards the nursery and Falconkit felt a feeling of dread overcome her. She turned to look at her littermates to watch as Cinderkit fell to the ground. Willowtail's eyes widened and she let out a wail of terror before she crouched over Cinderkit, nudging her.

Dewpool pelted out of Lionstar's den and rushed past Falconkit, nearly shoving her aside. She nudged Willowtail away from Cinderkit as Lightshine padded in. She sat beside Willowtail trying to comfort her as Dewpool examined Cinderkit. Heatherkit, Pinekit, and Shadekit rallied the younger kits together, but Falconkit flicked her ear when Pinekit tried to push her over to her littermates. She turned around, claws unsheathed, and swiped her paw at Pinekit. Pinekit's eyes widened and he pinned her down with one paw.

"Willowtail already has enough to worry about without having to worry about you and the others causing issues!" Pinekit hissed at her before Heatherkit shoved her brother away.

"Leave her alone. If she doesn't want to be part of the clan and wait with the others, she can stay here alone, watching everyone do everything possible to save Cinderkit." Heatherkit meowed as she glared at Falconkit.

 _What did she mean by 'doesn't want to be part of the clan'? Is she saying I was never a member of the clan in the first place?_ Falconkit thought as she looked outside the nursery. Now that she thought about it, her clanmates always seemed to be glaring or looking down on her and Willowtail didn't pay her as much attention. She flicked her ear as she looked back at Willowtail to find a look of hatred in her eyes as she glared at Falconkit. _There's nothing I could do or could have done to prevent this or even save her. I can only try to prove I'm a member of this clan._ Falconkit thought as she slowly padded over to Amberkit and the others.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Falconkit padded through the line of warriors and apprentices, following her siblings and Willowtail. Cinderkit had died the same day Lionstar had passed. Cloudbreeze had gone to the moon pool and gained her nine lives and her new name. Cloudstar stood on the branch that so many leaders before her had stood. She jumped down with her head raised high, her eyes focused on Amberkit and Falconkit with a glare. Falconkit pressed her ears to her head as she lined up with her littermates. Amberkit and Falconkit had to groom each other since Willowtail refused to even go near them. Since she watched Cinderkit die, she had grown cold and distrustful of Amberkit and Falconkit, complaining often that she couldn't let them sleep with her anymore because she feared her other kits would die. Their littermates had even stayed away from them, not offering to play moss ball or play fighting with them. Amberkit and Falconkit had grown closer due to the lack of attention from their littermates and Willowtail.

"Hollykit, step forward." Cloudstar meowed as she looked down at Hollykit with a proud look in her eyes.

"Hollykit stepped forward, her fur fluffed up as she looked at Cloudstar.

"By naming apprentices, we show that Shadowclan will survive and remain strong. Hollykit, from now on you will be known as Hollypaw. Your mentor will be Dewpool." She meowed as she looked over at Amberkit and Falconkit with a lash of her tail. "Falconkit, from now on you will be known as Falconpaw. Your mentor will be Stormflight. Amberkit, from now on you will be known as Amberpaw. Your mentor will be Smokebreeze."

Smokebreeze, Stormflight, and Dewpool stepped up to Cloudstar, their tails flicking and their eyes gleaming with pride. They touched noses with their apprentices, but when Stormflight touched noses with Falconpaw, she felt her fur rise as Stormflight glared at her. She looked over at Amberpaw, who looked at her with a happy look in her eyes. Cloudstar flicked her tail, signaling that the clan meeting was over. Falconpaw looked at Stormflight as she flicked her ear.

"Follow me, apprentice. We're going to go train." Stormflight hissed.

"We'll accompany you." Smokebreeze meowed, following the younger she-cat.

Amberpaw pounced up to Falconpaw, her tail raised as she grinned, as happy as she could be. Falconpaw followed her energetic sister and their mentors, keeping her tail low and her ears flat against her head. She had no idea what training they were going to do, but she knew she wasn't too great at the hunter's crouch. She had tried to practice a lot, watching the other kits and the other apprentices, but nothing seemed to work for her. Amberpaw had picked it up flawlessly, almost as silent on her paws as a shadow, even though her hunter's crouch wasn't the greatest.

Once they got to the training grounds, Smokebreeze and Stormflight flicked their tails as they turned, looking behind the new apprentices. Behind them came an older apprentice, Stonepaw, who was nearly finished with his training. He had broad shoulders, his muscles visible through his fur and a glare in his green eyes as he looked down at the two with his head raised. From behind Stonepaw stepped his mentor after Lionstar's death, Ashclaw. Ashclaw and Stonepaw walked over to Smokebreeze and Stormflight before the four of them looked down at Amberpaw and Falconpaw.

Falconpaw looked over at her sister, noticing that her hyper look had disappeared and she was looking at their mentors warily. Falconpaw's eyes flickered towards Stonepaw, noticing that he was the only one standing. Without warning, Stonepaw leaped at the two, his bigger size looming over them. Without a single second hesitation, Falconpaw shoved Amberpaw out of the way just as the older apprentice landed on her. She landed hard on her side while Stonepaw slashed his claws across her cheek. She yowled in pain, trying to shove the tom away. _Am I going to die in my first training exercise?_ She wondered fearfully.

"Leave, Falconpaw be! Attack me instead!" Amberpaw cried out.

Stonepaw whipped his head around, his hold on Falconpaw loosening enough for Falconpaw to squirm out of his hold. She battered the older apprentice across the muzzle before rushing to her mentor's and Amberpaw's side. Her mentor glared down at her, swiping her claws across Falconpaw's ears, leaving a nick in them. She yowled in pain, leaping back as her ears flattened to her head.

"Fight." Stormflight hissed at her.

Falconpaw backed up, staring at her mentor in horror. She turned to face Stonepaw, seeing Amberpaw trying desperately to get free as Stonepaw dug his claws into her sister's shoulder. She looked at Stonepaw as anger bubbled inside of her. She unsheathed her claws, pelting across the clearing and leaping at Stonepaw's face. Her claws made contact with his cheek as she fell to the ground, but she only managed to claw out some fur. Amberpaw was able to get out of the way, panting as she stood near Falconpaw with blood running down her shoulder and a small limp in her step. Stonepaw spun around, facing Falconpaw as he smacked her side, causing her to fall to the ground.

She stood as she gasped for breath, but before she could counterattack, Ferntalon and Rainmist burst into the train grounds, blocking Stonepaw and Falconpaw from fighting anymore. Ferntalon was expecting Spidershallow's kits, the deputy's kits, none the less. Stonepaw didn't attempt to hurt her or Rainmist, but he did look over at his mentor, who shook his head. The older apprentice backed off, looking between the queen and the warrior warily.

"What are you having these kits do, Ashclaw? This is their first day! They shouldn't be out here fighting right now!" She hissed at the dark brown tabby.

"We're teaching them that even though they are young, small, and untrained, the enemy won't care and will attack." He hissed back, glaring at the dark gray tabby.

Ferntalon looked at Rainmist who was nudging Amberpaw over to Falconpaw. "Get them to Dewpool. She can help them more than we can." She meowed looking at the two kits worriedly.

Rainmist nodded and Falconpaw allowed her sister to lean against her as they followed Rainmist out of the clearing. When they came back to camp, Dewpool rushed over to them, her eyes wide with worry. Rainmist explained the situation to her littermate, allowing the young medicine cat to take the two into the medicine cat den. Falconpaw sat beside Amberpaw the second Dewpool told them to rest. Amberpaw wasted no time in curling up on the floor of the medicine cat's clearing, her amber gaze hollow with pain. _What cruel clan did Lionstar leave behind? Are all the clans cruel?_ She wondered as she leaned down and began to clean her sister's wound, ignoring the stinging pain from her own wound.

"I promise, Amberpaw. One day we'll be the greatest warriors this clan has ever seen and we'll never be hurt again." She whispered to her sister.

Dewpool came out with a few herbs, tending to their wounds. "Stay in the medicine cat's den tonight. In the morning, I'll suggest to your mentor that you should focus on easy tasks until your shoulder heals." Dewpool meowed to Amberpaw.

Falconpaw dipped her head to Dewpool before grooming her sister's head. She stood, padding out of the medicine cat's den and waited for Stormflight to return. _I have to become stronger. I want to protect my sister and make sure nothing like that ever happens again._ She thought as she dug her claws into the layer of pine needles under her paws. She wanted the energetic sister that she had loved and cared for back. Not the hollowed out, wary version of her sister.


	4. Chapter 3

**_Author's Note:_**

 ** _Just as a small clarification before we get into Chapter 3, Lionstar only had one life when he ran into Falcon's and Amber's parents. He had lost three lives to a bad bout of whitecough and only survived because of the Thunderclan medicine cat bringing catnip over to the Shadowclan medicine cat. Without Thunderclan's help, Shadowclan would have lost their leader and then their deputy shortly after, leaving the clan leaderless. Also, the loners had their kits at the edge of the Shadowclan territory. Lionstar brought them back to his mate to have his mate care for them._**

 ** _Ashes of the Rose_**

Chapter 3

Falconpaw stood at the edge of the Thunderclan and Shadowclan border, peering over at Thunderclan's medicine cats. Tonight was the gathering and Falconpaw was curious if the other apprentices' mentors from the other clans were as cruel-hearted as Amberpaw's and hers. Hollypaw seemed perfectly fine with the strict training and Stonepaw had his warrior ceremony yesterday morning. His name was now Stonestrike and ever since the rough battle training two days before, he had been careful not to let his mentor or Falconpaw's mentor catch them speaking to each other. She turned to look at the older tom as his gray tabby pelt brushed past the bushes nearby. He looked over at the Thunderclan medicine cats and then at Falconpaw.

"If Stormflight catches you, she won't hesitate to make an example of you to Hollypaw and Amberpaw." He whispered right next to the she-cat's tattered ear.

Falconpaw flicked her ear as she leads Stonestrike away from the border and towards the lake. The pebbled shore made it tricky for the young apprentice to keep her footing, but she managed with the help of Stonestrike. She sat down three tail-lengths from the edge of the lake and stared out at the Windclan territory off in the distance across the lake. Stonestrike sat beside her, making sure not to sit too close to the she-cat.

"If Stormflight does try to make an example out of me, I'll take it. Especially if it means Amberpaw won't get injured because of the battle training." She meowed as she looked down at the water lapping at the pebbled shore.

"You can't keep protecting Amberpaw. She has to learn to protect herself sooner or later." Stonestrike meowed as he looked at the young she-cat.

"No, she won't. I'll be there to guard and protect her until we're elders." She hissed as she glared at the tom.

Stonestrike stood, his tail flicking behind him as he looked at her. "You'll die before you become a warrior if you keep protecting her." He meowed, padding into the forest.

Falconpaw watched him disappear into the forest before kicking a pebble with her paw, her tail lashing behind her. **_I_** _will protect my sister!_ Falconpaw thought as she looked up at the darkening sky. _I can, can't I, Starclan? You haven't turned your backs on me, right?_ Falconpaw stood as she heard Stormflight yowling her name. Her fur on her back stood on end and she raced into the forest, hopping over small bramble thickets as she ran. She stopped right in front of her mentor, panting from the running and kept her eyes on the ground in front of her.

"What were you doing down by the lake without telling me you were leaving?" Stormflight hissed as her tail lashed behind her.

"I-I'm sorry. I'll tell you next time." Falconpaw meowed as she looked up at Stormflight hesitantly.

Just as she looked up, she felt claws make contact with her muzzle. Falconpaw flinched, blood welling up on her muzzle, close to her nose. Stormflight's eyes narrowed as Falconpaw flinched and she wasted no time in raking her claws through Falconpaw's left ear, leaving a large gash in her ear. Rainmist padded out of the camp with the rest of the warriors going to the gathering and stopped once she saw Stormflight and Falconpaw. Her light blue eyes widened and Falconpaw watched as she stormed over, her pelt bristling as she glared at Stormflight.

"Cloudstar should have told you to stay behind." She hissed as she nudged Falconpaw to the group.

Amberpaw, upon seeing her sister's wounds, ran over and began to clean them worriedly. Amberpaw's shoulder had almost completely healed, but Smokebreeze did have her taking on light chores such as gathering moss, feeding the elders and queens, and getting the ticks off of the elders. Falconpaw winced but did not complain as her sister cleaned her wounds. She spotted Stonestrike padding past, shaking his head. She watched him pass by, glaring at him slightly. Rainmist padded up to the two apprentices, nudging them forward.

The patrol to the gathering consisted of Cloudstar, Stormflight, Spidershallow, Willowtail, Smokebreeze, Rainmist, Dewpool, Stonestrike, Hollypaw, Amberpaw, and Falconpaw. Spidershallow kept glancing back towards the camp, obviously nervous to leave his mate behind while she was in the nursery and not due for at least another moon. As the Shadowclan cat's neared Riverclan territory, they headed down to the edge of the lake, the warriors padding across it like they were used to the slippery pebbles. Falconpaw had a difficult time walking over the slippery pebbles and just as they neared a giant tree that sat against the island in the lake, she fell into the lake. She thrashed her paws around trying to find her way up, but she had no luck. She felt the water around her move and teeth digging into her scruff.

As she was pulled from the lake, Falconpaw coughed up water, looking at the cat who saved her. The cat was a red-brown she-cat with white paws. Falconpaw recognized the warrior from a border patrol the day before when the Shadowclan patrol and Riverclan patrol crossed paths while patrolling the border. The she-cat's name was Foxpelt. She looked down at Falconpaw with an exasperated sigh, her green eyes focusing on Smokebreeze. Smokebreeze looked at her, his ears flicking slightly as he looked away.

"Are you okay, 'paw?" Foxpelt asked.

"Y-Yeah." Falconpaw meowed, wincing as she realized just how much the water stung her wounds.

"First time at a gathering, huh?" Foxpelt purred with amusement.

"Yeah. How can you pad across the pebbles with so much ease?" She asked, flicking the water off of her tail.

"Practice." She chuckled.

"I don't think I'll ever be used to padding across pebbles."

"Well, the pebbles are sharp in some places. I wouldn't be shocked if your soft Shadowclan pads were all scratched up after slipping on a few sharp pebbles back there."

Falconpaw stopped and sat down on the pebbles to look at her pads. She stared at her paws with a bit of confusion. There were no scratches on her pads, almost as if her pads were built for padding over sharp stones. Foxpelt flicked her ear as she looked at her paws, her ears perking in curiosity.

"Strange. Shadowclan normally can't stand on sharp pebbles." Foxpelt meowed, flicking her tail towards Stormflight with padded around a patch of sharp pebbles.

Falconpaw flicked her ear and stood, padding straight for the sharp pebbles. Foxpelt's eyes widened and she immediately pushed Falconpaw away from the sharp pebbles, her tail lashing behind her. Falconpaw looked at her with a frown as Smokebreeze padded over, his ears perked with interest.

"Is Falconpaw giving you trouble, Foxpelt?" Smokebreeze asked.

"She's trying to pad along sharp pebbles. Not even Riverclan cats can handle a bunch of sharp pebbles like that." She hissed.

"Falconpaw, why don't you run on ahead and get across the tree-bridge with your mentor?" Smokebreeze meowed sternly.

Falconpaw knew well enough to not aggravate the warrior unless she wanted claws raking through her pelt again. She pelted up to Stormflight and leaped as Stormflight whipped around with a glare. Falconpaw immediately lowered her head, glancing up at her mentor warily.

"Don't ever communicate with the other clans. They aren't your friends. They're your enemies, even under the truce. They'll talk to you just to get some sort of information out of you." Stormflight hissed.

"I'm sorry Stormflight." She mumbled as she followed her mentor to the tree-bridge.

"This is your first gathering so you better be on your best behavior. Start climbing. I'll follow behind." Stormflight growled.

Falconpaw wasted no time in leaping onto the tree-bridge. She noticed immediately that the bark of this tree was slippery. She dug her claws into the tree as she padded across warily, her tail flicking behind her. She could feel Stormflight's glare on her as she crossed. She waited until Stormflight was across before nudging the bushes out of her way. She stared at the clearing with wide eyes as cats began to padded into the clearing. She couldn't wait for the gathering to begin.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Falconpaw glanced around at the gathered cats. There were quite a few apprentices around that looked just as confused as Falconpaw. A few of them had scars and most of the warriors had scars crossing their bodies. Maybe it wasn't just Shadowclan that was cruel to their apprentices. Maybe it was all the clans. Falconpaw flicked her tail with an edge of annoyance. Why didn't the clan cats see how wrong this was? Harming apprentices just because they're apprentices or do something wrong is horrible. Sitting away from the others during a gathering when the warrior code states a truce is wrong. _If all the clans are like this, then I don't want to be a member of any clans._ Falconpaw thought.

She hadn't noticed that her tail had been lashing the whole time until her sister nudged her from the angry glare she was giving to the other clans. She flicked her ear and glanced around, softening up her glare as to not anger the other clans. It was a truce after all and she should try to make friends with some of the other clan cats. Falconpaw padded towards a few Riverclan apprentices, but before she could, she felt teeth sink into her scruff and haul her back. Falconpaw tried to whip around and face the cat who had so rudely hauled her away, but she stopped when she saw her sister's ginger patched black paw.

"Amberpaw, why are you not allowing me to go over there?" Falconpaw meowed.

"It's dangerous. Didn't you see how the warriors glared at you when you padded over there?" Amberpaw meowed as she released her sister's scruff.

Falconpaw glanced over at the Riverclan warriors and saw their glares aimed at her. Her fur rose slightly at the mear thought of their angry glares and shivered. She padded back to her clanmates and sat down beside Amberpaw. She looked up at the moon, her green gaze seeming to sparkle with the reflection of stars. She sighed and looked towards the leaders as Cloudstar began to speak.

"Prey in Shadowclan is running well this leaf-fall. We expect to have plenty of prey in the coming moons when leaf-bare hits. We also have three new apprentices. Amberpaw, Falconpaw, and Hollypaw." Cloudstar meowed.

Falconpaw flicked her ear as none of the clans hollered her name out like how they had in Flamepool's and Russetclaw's stories she had heard as a kit. Everything about the gatherings in those stories was gone. Nothing was like the stories and Falconpaw couldn't feel more agitated by it. Cloudstar looked over at a gray she-cat with lighter and darker patches. This she-cat's blue eyes gave away no emotion as she sat straighter on the branch.

"The prey in Riverclan is running rampant. We would like to welcome four new warriors: Bluestream, Ivynose, Darkeye, and Lightfeather. Silverpool's and Troutstream's kits have been born and are as strong as any kit born among Riverclan." The she-cat meowed as she looked down at the gathered cats with her black nose lifted high.

A silver-gray tom with white paws flicked his ear as he looked down at the warriors below with his amber gaze. "Windclan's prey is running well. We've had issues with rouges on our borders as well as trespassers from Thunderclan. Leafstream's and my kits have been born and Windclan's medicine cat apprentice has received his full medicine cat name, Tallstep."

"Thunderclan has not trespassed in Windclan territory in seasons, Wolfstar. Your warriors have trespassed quite frequently into Thunderclan territory." The final leader, a brown tabby she-cat with green eyes, hissed.

Falconpaw flicked her ear as she tuned out the squabbling of the two leaders and glanced between the Thunderclan cats and the Windclan cats. They were both standing and yowling to defend their leaders and they looked as if they were about to rip each other into shreds. Falconpaw stood up, her fur bristling at all the tense happening during the truce of the gathering and looked up. The moon had clouds covering it and the two clans were still going at it. Falconpaw flicked her ear and headed for the shrubbery at the edges of the clearing. She felt a pelt brush against her flank and saw Amberpaw padding beside her.

"Why are they fighting?" Amberpaw whispered worriedly. "Can't they discuss this reasonably without the fighting?"

"No. They can't." Falconpaw whispered.

They padded in silence towards the tree bridge before a gray tom and a gray she-cat bumped into the two apprentices. Falconpaw shook her head and looked up, immediately recognizing the scents of Windclan and Thunderclan. She quickly moved in front of Amberpaw with her fur bristled and her ears low against her head. The two gray cats had no scars upon their pelts and their tails would flick behind them as they stared down at the two apprentices with the same shade of blue eyes.

"What are you two doing out here?" The gray tom with the white underbelly asked as he sat down, looking over the two apprentices with a look of kindness.

"We're trying not to be caught up in the fight that's about to happen." Falconpaw meowed as she glanced at the gray she-cat.

The gray she-cat flicked her ear and sat down beside the gray tom. The two of them looked as if they were littermates or at the least, siblings. The gray tom would gently nudge the she-cat with a small humorous glow in his blue eyes.

"I'm Dewleaf and this is my brother Tallstep. We're both medicine cats and we're half-clan cats." The gray she-cat meowed.

"Wait...How are you siblings if you are from different clans?" Amberpaw meowed from behind Falconpaw.

"Our mother was mates with Wolfstar before she was killed during kitting. Willowleaf decided that Dewleaf would go to Thunderclan to be with our father while I stayed in my mother's clan to avoid a battle between the two clans over both of us." Tallstep meowed before looking at Dewleaf. "We weren't as lucky as you two to stay together."

Falconpaw looked over at Amberpaw and sighed. The other littermates stood and lead the way towards the tree bridge. Amberpaw and Falconpaw followed swiftly after. Falconpaw was curious why these two seemed to have no scars and why they were both medicine cats. She didn't want to voice her thoughts as they finished crossing the bridge until the two medicine cats went rigid. Amberpaw and Falconpaw glanced around with confusion and then at the medicine cats. They placed their tails on the shoulders of the two.

"Are you two okay?" Falconpaw meowed with a concerned tone.

"Four will split into eight, the Marshed Amber of Fawning Falcons will lead four of the eight away..." Tallleap meowed as Dewleaf muttered the exact same thing.


End file.
